Field research was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of herbicides and carrot mowing for swamp dodder control. Herbicide evaluation indicated the highest carrot yield and lowest crop injury with pendimethalin compared to the industry standard linuron. Swamp dodder control with pendimethalin was greater than 80% at 56 and 70 d after planting (DAP). Other herbicides controlled swamp dodder, but crop injury was unacceptable. Carrot yield was greater where pendimethalin ors-metolachlor was applied compared to all other herbicides. Carrot mowing once 72, 86, or 100 DAP and mowing twice (72 plus 100 DAP) reduced the percentage of carrots infected with swamp dodder. Carrot infection level was least when mowed 100 DAP, and mowing did not increase yield compared to the non-treated check. These results suggest that the integration of pendimethalin for early-season swamp dodder control, followed by mowing 100 DAP, could reduce the impact of swamp dodder on carrots.
Adaptation of a parasitic lifestyle by Cuscuta gronovii Willd. ex Roem. & Schult.: large scale gene deletion, conserved gene orders, and low intraspecific divergence
